Death Becomes Her
by Mysterious Midnight
Summary: Krista Braxton has something the demons want. If they get it, the power shift between good and evil will forever be altered. Can the Charmed Ones protect Krista and stop the demons?
1. The Death of Another

A/N: Hey everyone. I know it's been awhile since I've posted a new story. And I know I have several unfinished stories, lol. But I found this on an old disc from like 2 years ago, thought it was awesome, and decided to start posting it. I have Chapters 1 and 2 done, and 3 halfway there. I have a lot of schoolwork though, and a lot for to do for my College's newspaper, so be patient with me as far as posting goes beyond the completed chapters. I also don't remember where I was going with this, so I'm just going to go with the flow and see where it leads.

Okay, so the usual. I don't own Charmed. But I DO own Krista and her storyline.

Hope everyone enjoys and please review!

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

"Krista, come wash your hands, please! Dinner's almost ready!"

"Okay, mom," Krista replied, only half listening. She reluctantly turned the television off and walked into the kitchen. She washed and dried her hands, then helped her mom bring the food to the table.

They sat. Sarah Braxton glanced at her daughter before doling out the food: roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn, and buttered rolls. They were quiet as they ate. Krista mostly picked at her food.

"Eat your dinner before it gets cold," Sarah said firmly, but kindly.

Krista continued to push her food around with her fork. "This was daddy's favorite meal."

Sarah paused, her fork poised halfway to her mouth. She lowered it back down and placed the fork on her plate.

"Sweetie-" Sarah paused. "Your father wouldn't want you to starve yourself over him. It's been six months. You need to – well, not move on, you'll never move on. But you need to keep living. He'd want you to be happy."

Krista shrugged slightly, feeling tears prickle in her eyes. She stared fixedly at her plate so her mom wouldn't see the tears.

"Please eat, honey,' Sarah begged. Krista hadn't properly eaten since her father had died. She was loosing so much weight it was scary. She had been really skinny to begin with, and she looked worse now.

"Today is exactly six months," Krista pointed out. "He died May twenty-eighth. It's November twenty-eighth today."

"I know," Sarah said softly. "I know it is." She sipped her water and put it down. "Why don't you go lay down?"

Krista didn't bother to argue. She left the kitchen and went to her room down the hall (The house only had one floor. It was all she and her mom could afford now that they didn't have her father's pay check to help them. The insurance money from his death had all gone to bills.) She closed and locked her door, turned out the light, closed the blinds, and fell onto her bed.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….

Krista gasped as she awoke to strange sounds coming from her mother's bedroom. It sounded like strange voices and whispered threats, by the sounds of the angry voices.

"She's not here," Krista heard her mother say sharply. "My daughter isn't home. She's with a friend. Now get out of my house!"

The words were slightly muffled, as both her door and her mother's door were closed, but Krista heard it all the same. Softly, she padded across her room in her bare feet and inched her door open. Her mother's door wasn't completely closed, as Krista had assumed. It was opened a crack, enough for Krista to see her mother being held by two large beasts, and a third standing before her.

Sarah must have seen Krista as well, because her look became panicked as their eyes met, then Sarah looked away.

"Do you think we came just for her, Sarah?" the beast standing before her asked, smirking. Krista couldn't see his face, but his voice sent chills up her spine.

Sarah didn't even bother to struggle. She stared straight at the beast of a man standing before her. She barely even blinked. "Nothing you do or say will make me give it to you. Besides, I don't have it. It's hidden very well and you'll never find it."

The beast man sighed. "Sarah, darling, why must you be so difficult? Hand it over and I'll spare your life and the life of your daughter."

Sarah swallowed. Even if she wasn't showing it, Krista knew she was scared.

"How many times do I have to tell you that she isn't here? And I don't have it."

The beast man sighed in an aggravated way.

Sarah took that moment to look at Krista with a panicked, _Run! _expression, before looking quickly back at the beat man.

Krista couldn't move, both from fear and panic. Plus, there was no way she was leaving her mom.

"Very well, Sarah. If you refuse to cooperate then-" The beast man held something that glinted silver from the light of the moon, the only light on in the whole house.

Sarah seemed to stiffen, and she fought her captors for a millisecond, but Krista knew her mom would rather die than lose her only child Still, she had only just lost her father. Her mother was all she had left and tears spilled into her eyes, but she knew she couldn't help. She'd be killed, too.

Sarah swallowed again, but held her head high. She silently willed Krista to leave, to look away. She couldn't stand the thought of her daughter witnessing the murder of her mother, as she had already witnessed the murder of her father.

The beast man lifted the dagger. His henchmen held Sarah's arms behind her back tightly. Sarah remained still, trying not to wince and praying she died quickly and painlessly. Krista held her breath, trying not to scream or give away her presence.

Then, in the blink of an eye, it was over.

Sarah crumbled to the floor as the beasts let her go. The leader cleaned his blade on the bed sheets.

"Let's go."

"But sir, the girl?"

Beast man stared at his companion. "Another time. I believe Sarah was telling the truth. I can't feel the girl's presence here. Besides, we have more important things to deal with. Let's go." He disappeared and his henchman followed.

Krista waited several minutes to be sure they were gone before running to her mom's side.

"Mommy?" Krista whimpered softly, touching her mom's face. "Please-" But nothing. Krista stood, sobbing quietly. She turned and ran back to her room where she threw on her shoes and grabbed her beloved necklace that her father had given her when she was little. She clasped it around her neck. Her digital clock glowed 9:05 at night as she climbed out her window and ran like hell.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

San Francisco was huge, and Krista had gone only twelve blocks when she had to catch her breath. The streets were pretty quiet for a Friday night and the darkness enveloped her.

Just as she was about to continue running to who knows where, a noise startled her into hiding. From behind a bush, she watched two men appear. They looked similar to the ones who had attacked and killed her mom.

"We've searched half the city. That girl is not here," one said.

"I think we should report back," the other said.

They nodded to each other and disappeared.

Krista gulped. She had to hide until morning. She needed to rest. A building loomed maybe ten feet from her. A line of people went out the door. She'd never make it in the entrance, she decided, so she ran around back to an alley. An entrance led inside. She tugged the door open and snuck in.

The hall she entered was empty. Doors led off either side of the main hall. She tried two and both were locked. The third was a bathroom. The last one was an office. She shut the door behind her and looked around.

Posters lined the walls. The desk was cluttered in papers. A bag sat on the chair behind the desk. Two more chairs were placed on the other side of the desk. Two filing cabinets sat in the back left corner, and a computer sat, turned on, on the desk.

The light was on, so Krista kept it that way. She sat down in the chair behind the desk and sighed with relief. She felt safer being in here where, if anyone tried to harm her, she could run to the main room of the building where the sounds of music, people, shuffling feet, and glasses chinking floated.

On the desk, Krista noticed, sat pictures of whom she assumed was the friends of the owner, maybe family, and somewhere in the mix, the owner herself. Or maybe the owner was a man and these people were his sisters or daughters or something. Either way, seeing the smiling faces made her feel safe and comforted, but then she remembered her very dead mother and the fact that she had no family left at all now.

"Oh, mom," Krista cried, tears running down her face. She clutched the ruby gem, encased in gold that hung on the gold chain around her neck.

"Let's go in to my office. It's more private."

Krista jumped. There were voices outside the door.

"And we need a plan," another voice said in agreement.

"We had a plan," yet a third voice said. "But it backfired."

"All work and no play is the life we live," one of the voices sighed.

All three were female, Krista realized. She had nowhere to hide and quickly ducked under the desk and prayed for a miracle to happen.

" Leo said they were ancient creatures," one of the girls said. "They're in the Book, but it doesn't say how to vanquish them. The Elders don't even know much about them and the Book is pretty vague."

"I never thought they'd attack at us P3, though," another girl said. "It's pretty, well, packed."

"They don't care about hurting Innocents. But I see your point," another said.

Krista gulped. She could see their feet moving from the break between the bottom of the desk and the floor and she only hoped they'd leave or, at the least, not come behind the desk and discover her.

"So what's plan B?" someone asked.

Well," another replied, moving out of Krista's line of vision.

Krista's heart beat against her ribcage.

"First, we need to scry for them and then-"

The chair moved, exposing Krista. She closed her eyes tight, fear gripping her entire body.

"What the hell-??"


	2. Protect The Innocent

Hey everyone! Wow. I haven't updated in four years, and I'm sure everyone has forgotten me! Haha.

I do want to apologize. I lost track of my log in information and just tonight got it back. So I'm trying to pick up where I left off. I'm going to attempt to finish any uncompleted stories before I stat posting new ones, since if you ARE still following me, you've waited 4 years for new chapter!

Just be patient. I'm still trying to locate old files, and I'm attempting to read through the uncompleted stories to see where I am and try to remember where I planned on taking it from where I left off.

Soooo. Without further adieu, I do not own Charmed and only the made-up characters (like Sarah and Krista) are mine.

And here it is.. Chapter 2 of Death Becomes Her!

"Who are you? And why are you in my office?" Someone demanded.

Krista finally looked up into the brown eyes of a dark haired woman. She seemed to be around Krista's mom's age. Krista couldn't tell if this woman was angry or surprised. Her expression was blank.

"Piper?"

The other two women who had been in the room, too, came around to see what was going on.

They all stared at her as she desperately tried to think of a way to escape. She could tell that they were scrutinizing her.

"I-" Krista choked. She knew she had to get away before they called the cops or worse, what with all she had heard them say. She scrambled out from under the desk, pushing the three women out of her way. One fell into the chair, one hit the filing cabinet, and the third tumbled to the floor.

Krista ran for the door, but one of the women had regained her composure and beaten Krista to the exit. She slammed the door and locked it, then stood in Krista's way.

It was the only exit in the whole room.

The other two women regained themselves and walked over. They were alert and angry.

"Who the hell are you?" The one called Piper asked – no, demanded.

"P-please don't h-hurt me," Krista whimpered.

"We won't if you tell us who you are and why you're hiding in our sister's office," one of them replied.

"Don't make any promises, Phoebe," Piper said sharply.

Phoebe frowned at her sister.

"Piper, cool it for a sec. She's just a kid. How much damage could she do? Give her a chance to explain," the last girl said.

"Plenty of demons have disguised themselves as kids," Piper grumbled.

"Piper! Paige is right. Besides, if she's not, then we have a lot of memory modifying to do," Phoebe said through tight lips.

"Fine," Piper finally said. "Explain," she said to Krista, arms crossed.

Tears sparkled in Krista's eyes. She was terrified and she had nowhere to go. She had no idea if she could trust these women, but at this point she had nothing to lose.

"M-my name is Krista Braxton. My father- he was killed six months ago." Krista paused, choking back sobs. "Tonight some men broke into our home an the- they- . . ." Krista sobbed some more.

"Go on," Piper said, her tone softening.

"They killed my mother," Krista said quickly, fingering her ruby necklace. "They wanted to kill me, too, but I was hidden in my room and they didn't know I was there, so they left and I ran. Then some of them appeared outside your building and-and I hid. They're looking for me, so I ran in here to hide-"

"I'm sorry," Krista continued between sobs. "Please don't hurt me . . . don't call the cops. I'll leave. I promise. Please."

"Don't worry, sweetie," Phoebe said softly, reaching out to touch her shoulder. "We wo-" She gasped, eyes closing tightly.

"Phoebe?" Piper said, after the vision had ended. "What did you see?"

"Nothing good," Phoebe replied. She glanced at Krista, wondering how to phrase her next question. "Krista . . . was your mom a- uh a practitioner of some sort?"

Krista gulped. "I-I'm not supposed to say anything about-about things like that."

"We're on your side. I promise. Can you tell me, please?"

"She had these powers," Krista replied reluctantly, scared the women would think she was insane. "She could do things. She told me the men who killed my dad were monsters. She said not to ever tell anyone about it. She'd be really upset with me."

"You can trust us, I promise. My sister's and I are- We have powers, too. And we're going to protect you, okay?" Phoebe replied.

Krista hesitated. She didn't know who to trust, but nodded, remembering the safe and comforting feeling she had gotten upon entering the office.

"My sister, Paige," Phoebe said, gesturing to Paige, "is going to take you back to our house."

"Orbing?" Paige asked, frowning.

Phoebe nodded.

"Okay, and we'll be along shortly," Phoebe added, nodding at Piper.

Krista nodded, hesitating as she walked to Paige.

"Hold my hand tightly, okay? We're going for an- an astral ride," Paige said, taking Krista's hand, which felt clammy and was shaking.

"Ready?"

Krista nodded, and Paige orbed.

"What do we do now?" Piper asked Phoebe, frowning slightly. "I feel bad for snapping now. But she was just – here. And I didn't know what to think. We really can't trust people, we never have been able to. She's just a little girl, Pheebs. She can't be more than thirteen."

Phoebe nodded. "Don't worry. You weren't a total witch to her," she joked, dodging a blow from Piper as she said it. "But to answer your question: now we go home and deal with two demons; hers and ours."

Piper nodded, grabbing her keys.

…

"Better?" Paige asked, as Krista sipped the water Paige had gotten her. She sat beside the little girl on the couch in the living room.

Krista nodded shakily. "I don't like that thing."

"Orbing?" Paige smiled gently. "It gets better."

Krista fingered her ruby necklace with her free hand and surveyed the room. It was an old home and it showed. But it didn't smell old. For some reason, that surprised Krista. She expected it to smell like grandparents or dust or mold.

"You can take a look around while we wait for my sisters," Paige said, seeing Krista's eyes wonder.

Krista glanced at Paige, uncertain, but then she set her water on the coffee table and stood, walking around and admiring the old-fashioned furniture and floral-design cushions. She stopped at the fireplace and admired the pictures framed on the mantel.

"Who's she?"

Paige stood and walked beside Krista, her eyes wandering to the picture Krista was eying. Her throat tightened.

"Oh. That's Prue," Paige replied, her voice choked. "She was the eldest. She passed away four years ago. I'm actually the Halliwell's half-sister. They met me the same day they buried her."

Krista gulped. It sounded so depressing, but so wonderful at the same time.

"They lost and loved all in one day," Krista said softly, tilting her head as she stared at the raven-haired woman and her smiling face. She seemed to be so happy. Krista wondered when the picture was taken, and thought how sad it was that the picture was a suspended moment of time, and that the girl in the picture would never now she was doomed to die young.

"Guess you could say that," Paige agreed, smiling softly at the picture of her eldest half-sister.

"Who's she?"

Krista and Paige spun around, jumping out of their pants. They had been so caught up in their thoughts that neither had heard anyone come in.

"Leo," Paige said, sighing in relief. "You scared us."

Leo entered the room, shrugging apologetically. "Sorry."

"This is Krista," Paige replied finally. "She's our new innocent."

"Innocent?" Krista asked, frowning. "One of your sisters called me that, too. What do you mean?"

"My sister's and I are very powerful witches," Paige said. "We protect innocent people who need our help, or are in danger."

"Who are you?" Krista asked.

Paige smiled at her curiosity. "We're called the Charmed Ones, but I'm sure you've never-"

"The Charmed Ones?" Krista asked, eyes wide.

"-heard of us," Paige finished lamely.

"My mom used to talk about you all the time! She said the Charmed Ones were the most powerful witches ever to exist and that they were protecting us and keeping us all safe from evil."

Leo frowned. "What's your name?"

Krista looked at Leo, uncertainly. But she replied, "Krista. Krista Braxton."

Leo became silent.

"Leo?" Paige asked.

Finally, he spoke. "Braxton – as in the Braxton Witches?"


	3. Establishing Trust

A/N: Hey everyone! Wow. First, I need to apologize. There was a four-year gap in my updates, and now it's been 9 months since I updated last, and I'm sure everyone has forgotten me - again! Haha. I am truly sorry. In May 2012, when I got my log in information back (after 8 years!), I slowly started updating all my unfinished stories. But then I got busy and distracted, and stopped again.

I'm back to attempting to finish any uncompleted stories before I start posting new ones, since if you ARE still following me, you've waited 8 years for a new chapter!

Just be patient. I'm attempting to read through the uncompleted stories to see where I left off and trying to remember where I planned on taking it from there. For this story, I've already got the next two chapters written out, and will post them within the next few days. So hopefully, from there, the rest will come easily enough.

So, without further adieu, here's the long-awaited chapter 3 of Death Becomes Her!

...

"You've heard of her?" Paige asked, confused. "They're a big Coven?"

"The Braxton Witches have been around for many Generations, almost as long as the Warren line," Leo replied. "But the Elders just told me that-" He paused and looked at Krista, who had tears in her eyes.

"Krista, why don't you go lay down in my room? Up the steps, the second room on your right. Scream if you need anything," Paige said, smiling.

Krista hesitated, but nodded and left.

"Her mother's dead, we know," Paige said, sighing. "She was hiding in Piper's office at P3. She told us about her mom and her dad." At Leo's confused look, she added, "Don't ask."

Leo nodded. "She's the last living member of the Braxton Line. They have real powers, just like you and Piper and Phoebe. But they don't really go after demons. The Elders said that the Braxton Witches were protecting something very important, something the Underworld would kill to get its hands on. They just don't know what. That's why they killed Krista's mom and dad. They're searching for that thing."

"Let's wait for Piper and Phoebe. They should be home soon, and I'd rather not discuss this twice," Paige suggested.

Paige and Leo only had to wait a few minutes, when Piper and Phoebe came into the Manor and found them. Leo and Paige quickly caught the others up on the happenings. They all then sat to discuss what to do next.

"Do you think she even knows about magic? Like, really knows?" Paige asked.

"She seemed to know her mom had powers," Phoebe replied.

"Yeah, but she didn't call them demons. She called them monsters," Paige reminded them.

"Yeah, but how would you explain to a child that magic exists? As Krista grew up, I guess her mom just stuck with the old explanations," Piper said.

Paige nodded. "What do we do, then?"

"Well," Piper sighed. "I guess we figure out what the demons are trying to find, and protect Krista in the mean time. I just don't know what to do with her once we end this. We can't just dump her on the streets."

"We'll figure something out," Phoebe said. "We always do." She stood. "I'm going to go check on Krista, make sure she's doing okay."

"She's in my room," Paige told Phoebe.

Krista, who had been hiding behind the wall, gulped. She quickly ran from her hiding spot and up the steps, back to Paige's room. She flopped onto the bed, facing away from the door, and pretended to be asleep.

The floor creaked softly as Phoebe entered. Krista felt the extra weight on the bed as Phoebe sat and put an arm on her shoulder.

"Sweetie? You awake?"

Krista groaned slightly and rolled over, eyes opening. When she saw Phoebe, she widened her eyes and jumped off the bed for dramatic effect.

"Where am I?" she asked with a shaky voice.

"I'm Phoebe, remember? From the office at my sister's club. We found you hiding and we brought you back to our home to help you."

Krista waited several seconds, as if trying to remember, then nodded.

"Sweetie, we need to talk. I- well, you knew about your mom's powers. So-so you know magic exists right?"

Krista nodded slowly, frowning slightly.

"My sister's and I want to help you, but we can't unless you talk to us and tell us what's going on," Phoebe said gently.

Krista just shrunk away from her.

Phoebe sighed. "Please?"

Krista fingered her ruby necklace, a nervous habit.

"I can't protect you if you won't tell me what I need to know."

After several minutes of silence, Phoebe sighed and gave up, leaving Krista to go back to her sister's.

"Well?" Piper asked.

"She just won't open up to me." Phoebe frowned in frustration. "We can't help her or stop these demons if we don't know what we're dealing with."

"Let me try," Paige said, standing.

"Paige, I hate to be annoying, but you have the least experience with kids out of all of us," Piper said, frowning and thinking of her son, right now with his father in Elder land, where Leo was trying to get more info out of the Elders.

Paige frowned slightly, angry for a moment. "I know. But let me try." She stood and went upstairs before her sisters could protest. She found Krista on the bed and sat with her, as Phoebe had.

"Hey," she said gently.

Krista stared at her.

"I'm going to pick up right where my sister left off," Paige went on. "About magic. We know you know about it."

Krista nodded again, scooting a bit closer to Paige. "Uh-huh. My mom said when I turn sixteen, I'll get my powers."

"Do you know what they are?" Paige asked.

Krista shook her head. "Just that I'm supposed to use them to protect the thing."

"What thing?" Paige asked cautiously, not wanting to scare Krista into silence.

Krista fidgeted on the bed, clutching her ruby necklace, thinking of the day her father had given it to her and wishing she could hug him again – and her mom.

"I can't say," Krista replied weakly. "I'm not supposed to tell."

"My sisters and I can help you," Paige replied gently. "But you need to be honest with us. We have powers, too. Watch." Paige went to the middle of the room and concentrated, then orbed out and back in. She smiled at Krista's shocked face. "I can also call objects to myself. Piper can freeze things, and blow things up. And Phoebe can levitate into the air and she gets visions of the future, sometimes the past."

"And Prue?" Krista asked, remembering the pictures she had seen.

Paige smiled weakly. "Prue could move objects with her mind."

"And what about that guy?" Krista asked, referring to Leo.

"He can orb like me," Paige replied.

Krista nodded, taking it all in. "My daddy could put up a cool force-field with his hand. He could also form fire in his hands and create wind and water from nowhere. Sometimes the earth even shook when he was angry."

"He could control the Elements. Those kinds of magical people are called Elementals," Phoebe explained.

"My mom could move things with her mind, like you said Prue could do. She could also teleport us places. Kinda like you, but not with the blue lights. She could also throw lightening."

Paige nodded. Krista was finally opening up, and Paige was getting somewhere in the information department. Now if she could only find out what the Braxton Witches were protecting without Krista clamming up.

"Can you tell me what you're supposed to be protecting?" Paige asked gently.

Krista looked scared. "Will you take it away from me if I tell you?"

"You have it with you?" Paige asked, amazed. When Krista nodded, she replied, "I won't take it."

Krista held the ruby from her necklace out towards Paige. "Daddy gave it to me a few months before he passed away. He said it had been handed down from generation to generation of Braxton's and that if it got in the wrong hands, it could be dangerous. He told me to never take it off and I never have." She clutched it in her hand so Paige couldn't take it. "I don't know what it is or what it does, but they said I needed to protect it, always."

Paige's eyes widened and she stood. "I need to go talk to my sisters. Stay here and if you need anything, scream."

She walked to the door and took one last look at Krista before going back downstairs.


	4. Broken Promises

A/N: Hey guys! So here's chapter 4. Also, I already have chapter 5 written, but I'm going to wait and post it maybe tomorrow or something. I want to get a few chapters ahead before I continue posting – But don't worry, I'm hoping to write at least two chapters tonight, so you won't have to wait long! Quick thank you to the reviewers:

**wiccawhitewitchsmalltownguy:** Glad you're enjoying it! The origins of the necklace will be explained in this chapter. So you'll find out rather quickly :) Yes, The Braxton Witches have their own Book of Shadows. It's not as powerful or as vast as the Charmed Ones, but it does exist.

**tinygleek:** Glad you're enjoying it!

**CharmedOpal:** Hmmm... I honestly hadn't considered a timeline when I first wrote this. I'm going to go with season 5, so it's just Wyatt (no Chris yet) and Wyatt is still fairly young. But this fic won't necessarily follow all of the season 5 storyline, so keep that in mind. I often deviate from the show's plot. Glad you're enjoying it so far!

Okay, guys. Here's chapter four! Chapter five coming tomorrow, and I'm working on Chapters 6 and 7 as you read this!

Enjoy and review!

...

"A necklace? What could be so powerful about a piece of jewelry that demons would kill Krista's parents for it?" Phoebe asked, baffled.

"Well, it makes sense that her parents gave it to her," Piper mused. "I mean, who would think to check her for it? It would be stupid to give it to a little girl who can't defend herself. It's the last place they would think to look."

"Maybe it's in the Book?" Paige suggested. She waited for Piper and Phoebe to nod, before orbing the Book of Shadows to her. She set it on the coffee table and they began searching for the necklace.

Twenty minutes later, they hadn't found a thing.

"This thing must be really special if it's not even in the book," Piper said, frustrated.

"Or really secret," Phoebe suggested. "Something that couldn't even be written down, because if anyone got their hands on the Book and read about it, it would put the Braxton's in danger."

"Lot of good it did," Paige snapped. Her heart ached for that poor little girl. She knew what it was like to lose your parents young. And Krista was younger than even Paige had been.

Blue lights filled the room, as Leo appeared. He was Wyatt-less, which relieved Piper. As much as she wanted to see her son, she was glad he was safe in Elder land.

"Okay, the Elders said we're looking for a-."

"Necklace," Paige interrupted. "Yeah, yeah, we got that part."

Leo looked puzzled, so Piper explained, "Krista opened up to Paige. What we don't know is what the necklace does."

Leo nodded. "According to the Elders, it makes the person wearing it immune to powers – both good and evil. Essentially, they become invincible. And once the necklace is on, no one can take it off except the person wearing it. They can't be coerced and, since magic won't work on the person, no compulsion spell can convince them to take it off. They have to do so willingly."

"Oookay," Paige said, as her sisters sat in stunned silence. "So, in the hands of evil, the necklace equals incredibly powerful demon."

Leo nodded. "The Braxton's were charged with protecting it because Krista's great-great-great grandmother was the one who created the necklace. It fell into the wrong hands once before, but she was able to get it back. No one knows how. The Elders told her that, as punishment for her carelessness, the necklace would need to be protected by each female member of her line for the duration of the necklaces existence."

"Can it be destroyed?" Phoebe asked.

Leo shook his head. "That's the thing. Technically, no. But there's a prophecy that says one of the Braxton witches will have the power to destroy it, and the Elders think Krista is the person in the prophecy."

"Which explains why the demons killed her parents," Piper said slowly. "If they knew about the prophecy, or someone found out that Krista could be the one mentioned in the prophecy, they would want to get to her and get her to give them the necklace before she could destroy it."

Stunned silence filled the room.

"She's a little girl," Paige argued. "She's thirteen! How is she the center of such an enormous prophecy? Why her?" It wasn't right. It wasn't fair.

"She's special," Piper commented. "For some reason, she's special."

"And we have to keep her safe until we can figure out how we can destroy that necklace," Phoebe added, frowning.

"Maybe we can use a cloaking spell to keep her presence hidden from demons," Paige suggested. "Keep her off their radar."

"It won't work," Leo pointed out, "Not while she's wearing the amulet. And if she takes it off, the necklace will be easy pickings for the first demon who comes across it."

"Then I guess we need to focus on finding the way to destroy it," Piper stated firmly.

No one argued with that.

...

Across town, Detective Morris was at the scene of the crime, the Braxton House.

"Detective, you better look at this," one of the officers called to him.

Darryl stood from where he was looking at the body, and went to the officer. The officer held a picture frame in his hand. The picture was of their victim, Sarah Braxton, and a young girl.

"She has a kid?" Darryl demanded to know. The officer nodded. "Has anyone seen her?" The officer shrugged. "Well find her! Put out a report, get someone on it," he snapped angrily, and the officer scurried off.

Darryl made his way down the hallway, carefully glancing in each room as he went. The premises had been cleared, but he still had his gun out. Finally, he came across what was obviously a child's room. He cursed under his breath, outraged that no one had mentioned this to him sooner.

He went to the bed and picked up a soft brown dog, frowning at it. The room didn't look disturbed, and there was no sign of a struggle. But the bedroom window was open, the curtains fluttering in the breeze.

He prayed she was okay.

...

The scream startled them all.

"Krista..." Paige whispered, eyes wide. She quickly orbed up to her bedroom, Piper and Phoebe running up the stairs, close behind.

"Paige!" Krista cried, cornered by a demon.

The demon turned to Paige and grinned, forming a fireball and throwing it at her.

"Fireball!" Paige snapped, orbing it to her, and then reversing its course. But the demon dodged, and the fireball scorched the wall.

"Paige, help!" Krista cried, causing the demon to turn back to her, advancing forward.

Paige orbed in front of the demon, blocking him from Krista. She grabbed a sharp nail file from her night table and stabbed him in the neck with it. The demon screeched, grabbing Paige's wrist and tossing her like a ragdoll. Her back hit the bed frame, and her head cracked against the night table. She groaned, weakly calling for Krista before losing her battle to stay conscious.

...

"Paige," Phoebe said gently, shaking her sister. "Paige, wake up."

Paige groaned, trying to sit up, but the room spun. "What happened?" she muttered, rubbing her head.

"Leo.." Piper prompted. Leo knelt beside Paige, putting his hands near her head. A yellow glow emanated from his hands, and the nasty cut and bump Paige had sustained disappeared.

Piper and Phoebe helped Paige stagger up and sit on her bed.

"Krista... What happened? Is she okay?" Paige asked frantically, looking around her room for the little girl.

"Paige-." Phoebe started, considering her words carefully.

"No," Paige shook her head. "I told her I'd protect her! I told her we'd help her!"

Piper put a comforting hand on Paige's shoulder. "We'll get her back. I promise."

Paige looked miserable. "If they hurt her... I won't be able to forgive myself."

"Then let's get to work, and get her back," Piper said firmly.

Paige nodded, letting her sisters help her up. They made their way back downstairs, determined. Leo went back to the Elders, hoping to learn more about the prophecy.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige set right to work. Paige tried to scry for Krista; Phoebe began work on a generic, but powerful spell; and, Piper began similar work on a potion.

They had to find her. It was the only thing that Paige could think about. The thought consumed her. Because if they didn't find Krista in time, it would be all her fault.


	5. The Connection

A/N: Hey guys! I'm really glad everyone is enjoying this so far. I'm thinking this fic might be slightly on the short side, and I apologize for that. Hopefully the ending (Which is still a few chapters away, so don't panic) will be satisfying, after 8 years of waiting for it!

**CharmedOpal:** Aww, thanks! I really appreciate that! I'm glad you've been enjoying some of my other stories, as well. A Vision of Utopia and the Breaking Point Trilogy (Piper's self-harming story) are two of my personal favorites – my babies, if you will – so I'm incredibly happy that you enjoyed them. I hope you continue to enjoy this one, as well as Surrender to Fate (which I noticed you are reading, as well). I definitely have some new fics in the works – I'm working on finishing all my old ones, then I'll post the new ones.

So, here we go, Chapter 5 of Death Becomes Her! Enjoy, and please review!

...

Krista huddled in the corner of her steel cage, shaking, knees pulled to her chin and hands wrapped tightly around her legs. She didn't know where she was; monsters stood in groups outside the cage, walking around and murmuring to each other. Two stood guard outside her cage. She was in the corner as far from them as she could get. The room she was in was made of rock and sand. Every once in awhile, the monsters would turn and glare at her, then turn away and pretend she didn't even exist.

Tears spilled down her face and her lip trembled. She wanted Paige! She wanted to go home! Most of all, she wanted her mom. This thought caused more tears to fall free.

"Hello, Krista."

Krista glanced up sharply at the sound of her name. One of the monsters stood by the cage, running his fingers along the bars.

"So good of you to join us." His voice was soft and silky, the last thing Krista expected. He looked human, except his skin had a red tint to it, and his eyes were yellow with red irises.

She squeezed back, further into the corner of the cage, eyes wide with fear.

The monster smirked. "Don't be afraid, little one. We don't want to hurt you," he assured her, the lie sounding easy and effortless. "We just want the necklace, and we'll let you go. Safe and unharmed."

Krista shook her head, gripping the necklace tightly. "NO! You can't have it."

The demon scowled at her. "I'll get that necklace from you, brat, one way or another. I can assure you, it will be much easier for you if you cooperate."

Krista tried to scowl at him, tried to look unconcerned and brave. But inside, she was shaking like a leaf – praying Paige would come for her soon. She hoped Paige was okay, even. The fall she had taken had looked bad.

A horrible thought occurred to Krista – What if no one was coming? What if Paige was hurt bad, and Piper and Phoebe didn't want to risk coming to save her?

Fresh tears began to spill from her eyes. The monster took delight in this.

Krista hunkered into her corner, silently pleading for Paige to show up.

...

The knock on the door startled them all. Warily, Phoebe went and answered it.

"Darryl, now isn't a great time," she sighed. "We're kind of busy."

"I have a dead woman and a missing girl," Darryl explained, putting his arm out when Phoebe tried to close the door on him. "I need your help.

Phoebe paused, taken aback. She waved Darryl in and walked him back to where Piper and Paige were working.

"Is the woman Sarah Braxton?" Piper asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"I should have known," Darryl groaned. He was comfortable around the sisters, and used to their magic. But he still hated when one of these 'unsolved' cases crossed his path. With each one, his credibility as a detective went downhill.

But he also knew that if anyone could find the missing girl, it was The Halliwell Sisters.

"Do you know where the little girl is?"

A tense silence filled the room before Piper answered. "Krista. Her name is Krista, and sort of."

"Sort of?" Darryl demanded.

"She was here," Phoebe filled him in. "But then a demon took her. We're trying to locate her now."

Darryl gritted his teeth. "I can try to keep this out of the media for as long as possible, but once this goes public, everyone will be looking for her. Find her fast." Darryl sounded angry, but it was more out of concern for the girl than true anger.

Paige bit her lip, shaken. She blinked back tears. "Don't worry, Darryl. We're on it."

Darryl nodded. "Keep me posted." He gave the sisters one last look before leaving.

Silence followed his departure. They all exchanged worried looks before going back to their respective tasks.

"So scrying isn't picking anything up," Paige finally said. "Think she's in the Underworld?"

"Most likely," Phoebe admitted reluctantly. "This spell is almost done. It should work... I hope. Piper?"

Piper dropped one final ingredient into the potion, and it went poof, a cloud of green smoke billowing up. "Done." She quickly filled six bottles with the potion, keeping two for herself and handing two to each of her sisters.

They stood. Leo wasn't back yet, but they were running out of time. The longer Krista was gone, the more danger she was in.

"Should we just go?" Paige asked, anxious to get moving.

"No." Piper shook her head. "We need to wait for-."

Blue orbs filled the room.

"-Leo," Piper finished lamely.

"Did you find anything else out?" Paige demanded anxiously.

Leo nodded, looking grim. "Apparently, Krista is the Braxton Witch that can destroy the amulet. But she needs to do it tonight, during the full moon. If she doesn't, it will be another two thousand years before a Braxton witch can attempt to destroy it."

"Right. No pressure," Paige grumbled.

"We think she's in the Underworld. We don't know who has her, but we think we can bring her back. Safely," Piper added, holding the potion bottles up for Leo to see.

"Just be careful. We don't know what we're up ag-."

Leo was cut off when, from behind him, a demon shimmered in and telekinetically tossed him across the room, slamming him into the wall. He crumbled to the floor, out cold.

"Hey!" Piper snapped, throwing her hands out and blowing the demon up.

"That... That was the demon that attacked us the other day at P3!" Phoebe pointed out, just as another demon shimmered into the room, an athame in his hands.

"Athame!" Paige held her hand out, the knife appearing a second later. Without hesitation, she threw it at the demon, and he screamed in agony, disappearing in flames.

"So our demons and her demons are one and the same," Piper grumbled. "Why doesn't that surprise me? They must have figured we'd help her, and wanted to get us out of the picture before we could interfere."

"Story of our lives," Phoebe said quickly, right as another demon shimmered in. Phoebe levitated, kicking the demon hard. The demon stumbled backwards, but didn't go down.

Piper quickly threw her hands up and froze him.

As the minutes ticked by, and no other demons appeared, they began to relax.

Piper went to Leo, gently coaxing him awake. She helped him take a seat on the couch. He looked upset, silently berating himself for letting that demon sneak up on him.

"Maybe we can interrogate this one," Piper suggested, circling closer, but remaining cautious.

"I'll look them up in the Book. Maybe now we can get a more specific vanquishing spell put together," Phoebe suggested, taking a seat on the couch and flipping through the book, glancing anxiously at the demon every few seconds.

Paige kept guard while Piper approached the demon, watching Piper's back in case another demon showed up.

Piper stared curiously at the demon. "Ugly, huh?" She took a breath, concentrated, and unfroze the demon's head.

"What the... Hey!" The demon protested, snarling at Piper. "I'm going to kill you witch!"

"Yeah, yeah," Piper said, sounding bored. "If I had a dime for every demo who said that..."

The demon growled, his eyes going dark. He seemed to be trying to fight Piper's freeze off, but it was no use; he was stuck.

"Where's the little girl?" Piper demanded.

The demon chuckled. "Do you really think I'm going to tell you that?"

Piper scowled. "Paige, the crystals."

Paige nodded, quickly orbing the crystals to her. She placed them around the demon. The electrically charged barrier went up.

"Now, again: Where's the girl?" Piper asked smoothly, crossing her arms.

"Piss off, witch," the demon snarled.

Piper sighed, focusing her power on the barrier, and sending a small jolt into it. It caused the barrier to flare up, and the demon howled in pain.

This went on for several minutes with no luck. With each non-answer from the demon, Piper increased the voltage.

Finally, the demon cracked. "Okay, okay, stop. I'll tell you."

"It's about damn time." Piper sounded relieved.

But before the demon could speak, he was engulfed in flames; he wailed in agony, before going poof.

"I didn't do that!" Piper yelped, backing up. "I didn't do that! That wasn't me!"

"Guess someone didn't want him talking," Paige sighed. "Now how are we going to find Krista?"

"I found the demon," Phoebe exclaimed. "We haven't lost her yet."

With renewed hope, Piper and Paige joined Phoebe on the couch, reading about the demons.

"Okay, we have a lot of work to do," Piper stated. "And we're running low on time."

The Charmed Ones exchanged determined nods, and got back to work.

_We'll save her_, Paige thought to herself. _We aren't too late. We'll bring her home safe._


	6. To the Rescue

A/N: Hey guys! I'm really happy with the direction this fic is going, and I hope you're enjoying it too! Sorry if this chapter is a little shorter than most, but I wanted it to end at a certain place, and that meant making it shorter. Never fear though, because I'm writing chapter 7 as we speak, and you won't have to wait too long for another update!

**wiccawhitewitchsmalltownguy:** Lots of questions! And this chapter will answer a good portion of them! Promise. Also, your last review sort of inspired this, so thanks!

**CharmedOpal**: Thanks! That's so sweet! I'm glad you're enjoying them!

...

With a specific demon to focus on, the Charmed Ones created new spells and potions. Armed, and as ready as they could possibly be, Paige orbed them to the Underworld.

"Okay, now what?" she asked quietly, as they hid behind a pillar, watching as various demons walked to and from different rooms and chambers.

"Now we need to figure out how to find Krista," Phoebe replied, though Paige's question had mostly been rhetorical. Obviously, they needed to find Krista. The question was, how?

Piper pondered their options, but the minutes were ticking by and they had precious few to spare.

"Paige... Try to sense her."

Startled, Paige glanced first at a confused Phoebe then at Piper, who looked completely serious.

"You're kidding. Right?" she questioned, scrunching up her face.

"Well... No," Piper said simply, not seeming to understand Paige's hesitation.

"Piper, she isn't my charge," Paige clarified. "How am I supposed to sense her? Especially down here?"

Piper sighed. "You seem to have developed some kind of bond with her. A strong one. You're the only one she opened up to. It's worth a shot, right? It's our only option right now."

Paige hesitated still, but they were running out of time. She sighed, closing her eyes, taking a deep breath. She cleared her mind, and tried to picture Krista, as clearly as if she were standing right in front of her. Her lips pursed in concentration.

Phoebe and Piper exchanged worried glances, gripping their potion vials.

"I got it," Paige said, eyes opening, a sparkle in them for the first time since Krista had been kidnapped. "This way."

When they reached the chamber Krista was being kept in, Paige's heart sank again.

"There are too many of them... We don't have enough potion."

Piper surveyed the room, taking in how many demons there were, how many potions they had, and how many she could blow up. The Book had also mentioned these demons were lower level, so she felt confident they would put up little resistance. They had, after all, vanquished a couple of these guys in the Manor with no problem.

"Right. Okay." She paused, glancing at Krista, curled up in the corner of her cage. "We're going to have to make it work," she said simply, making it sound easier than it was.

On the count of three, Piper jumped out from her hiding place, and froze the demons, as she had with the one that had attacked in the Manor.

The Charmed Ones stepped out from their hiding place, taking in the full scope of the chamber.

"Let's get this party started," Paige declared, as Piper began blowing up any demon within reach of her power. Phoebe threw the potions in a similar manner. Paige ran to the cage holding the little girl, and began examining it for a door or lock or lever, anything.

"Paige!" Krista cried, scurrying to the bars. "Please, get me out of here! Please, Paige!"

"Of course, sweetie," Paige said soothingly. "Don't worry."

Over half the demons were vanquished before a voice in the shadows chuckled. "Vanquish us all, and she will never be free."

This gave all three sister's pause.

"And who are you?" Piper demanded, as the body belonging to the voice stepped out of the shadows.

"I am Vicarsius," the demon said smoothly. "And if you kill me, your little witch brat will never escape that cage. Little insurance I built into the curse." He said it smugly, as if it were the most complicated curse in the world, and only he could have accomplished it.

Paige looked horrified, but tried to conceal it for Krista's sake.

"How do we know you're not lying?" Phoebe questioned, not believing a word of it.

Vicarsius shrugged. "You can believe whatever you wish to believe. But do you really want to take that risk?"

Piper hesitated only for a moment before freezing him. "You talk to much," she retorted to the frozen demon. She grabbed Phoebe's arm, and they both ran over to help Paige.

"I can't find a way out," Paige snarled, frustrated, yanking on the bars.

"There's gotta be a way," Phoebe insisted. "Maybe a spell?"

Piper glanced back at Vicarsius. She had a weird feeling... If she was wrong, they were screwed. She might very well be damning Krista, not helping her. But if she was right... It was a risk she had to take.

"Do you trust me?" She asked the little girl, glancing briefly at her sister's before looking back at Krista for her response.

Tears were leaving tracks down Krista's face. Her eyes were red from crying, and she was sniffling and hiccupping through her hysterics. She glanced at Paige for support. When Paige smiled and nodded reassuringly, Krista nodded at Piper.

Piper turned to Vicarsius and unfroze him. At first, he looked puzzled, not understanding where Piper and Phoebe had gone. But when he spotted them at the cage, he looked outraged.

"How dare you!" He snarled, forming a fireball in his right palm.

"Sorry," Piper said mildly, almost sounding bored, "but we don't take threats from demons very seriously." With that, she threw her last remaining potion at him. He screamed in agony, engulfed in flames for nearly a whole minute before he exploded with a loud bang.

Time seemed to stop. For several moments, no one knew what to say, and Paige was preparing to scream at Piper for her stupidity.

And then the bars surrounding Krista's cage disappeared, and she jumped at Paige, wrapping her arms around her and crying in relief.

Piper smirked. "I knew he was lying."


	7. Spiritual Intervention

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks, as always, for the reviews!

**tinygleek:** So am I! I was worried for a second there, and I wrote the chapter! Haha. You never know, even as a writer, what's going to happen – sometimes, the characters tell their own story.

Okay, so this is two chapters in one day. Wait, what?! After 8 years, I've been updating like a maniac! And guess what? I have chapter 8 written already! So I'm ahead of the game, and moving smoothly towards the epic ending. Hope you enjoy!

...

By the time they arrived back at the Manor, it was already after 10 p.m. Time moved differently in the Underworld, and they were incredibly short on time. They only had until midnight, and they still had absolutely no idea how to destroy the necklace.

Krista sat in the living room, admiring the Book of Shadows, while Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo gathered in the sunroom, keeping a close eye on Krista while discussing their options.

"I think the only person who knew how to destroy that necklace is dead," Paige admitted grudgingly, thinking of Sarah Braxton. "So unless the Elders know something we don't..."

"Is it possible Sarah told Krista?" Phoebe suddenly asked. "Krista might not have understood what she was being told, but maybe Sarah foresaw something like this happening and prepared."

"Its worth a shot," Piper shrugged. "In the meantime, Leo...?"

"I'm on it." He gave Piper a long, worried look before orbing up to the Elders to see what he could find."

"Paige, why don't you try? She seems to trust you," Phoebe suggested.

Paige nodded, making her way to Krista. She sat beside her on the couch and smiled, trying to look warm and unconcerned. "How are you doing?"

Krista shrugged, eyes wide and glassy, as if she were going to cry again. "Okay, I guess. I didn't think you were going to come for me."

"What would make you think that?" Paige questioned, concern etched on her face.

Krista shrugged, looking away. "You got hurt because of me. I figured your sister's would be mad at me, and not want to help me anymore."

"Oh, sweetie," Piper brushed a stray piece of hair behind the girl's ear. "You're safe now, okay?"

She nodded, hugging Paige tightly.

"Krista... I need to ask you something." Paige hesitated, trying to decide how to word it. "Did your mother ever tell you anything about the necklace? Something important, maybe? Or maybe something you didn't understand?"

Krista thought. She looked puzzled, and was silent for a long time. Finally, she nodded. "Mommy always said when things got the darkest, I should look to the Shadows."

Shadows? What could _that _mean? Paige puzzled. But to Krista, she smiled and nodded. "Thanks, sweetie." She stood, giving the girl one last reassuring smile, before going back to Piper and Phoebe and relaying the information to them.

"Could it be referring to the Book of Shadows?" Phoebe wondered.

"But we looked in the Book," Piper reminded her," and there was nothing about the Braxton Witches or the necklace."

Paige frowned. "What if it doesn't refer to our Book of Shadows? What if the Braxton's had their own Book of Shadows?"

Phoebe nodded, eyes bright. "Every coven has their own Book of Shadows. None of them are as extensive or as powerful as ours, but they exist nonetheless. It would make sense that the spell to destroy the necklace would be in it, in case the time came that it was needed."

"Okay. So we need to call Darryl and make sure we can get into the house, and then we need to find that Book, fast," Piper summed up, grabbing out her cell phone and dialing Darryl.

They were one step closer to ending this madness. Paige glanced at Krista, engrossed in the Book, and smiled. Soon, it would all be over, and Krista would be safe.

...

It took a lot of convincing before Darryl agreed to let them enter the crime scene. The cops, forensic experts, and coroner's office had all left. Police tape barred the front door, and the Charmed Ones could still see signs of fingerprint dust and blood spatter. Signs of a struggle were obvious. The destruction started in the front room, and made its way down the hall and into Sara Braxton's room. A large pool of dried blood was still on the floor, slowly soaking into the thin carpet.

"It looks like they tried to find her Book of Shadows," Piper pointed out, eyeing the mess with a grimace. "If the scene of the crime is here in her bedroom, then they must have searched the rest of the house for the Book after."

Paige gagged, shaking her head. "I'm so glad we left Krista with Leo. She doesn't need to see this."

Phoebe wandered the room, touching anything that looked like it might give her a premonition. That, unfortunately, included the dried blood.

"Nothing," Phoebe grumbled. "How could nothing give me a premonition? I don't understand it."

Neither of the sister's had an answer for that.

"Let's just keep looking the old fashioned way, then," Piper said softly, trying to reassure her sister. "We don't have much time left."

"This is hopeless," Paige whined, after several unproductive minutes of searching. "We're never going to find that Book and it's already after eleven."

"What if we call for Sarah's spirit?" Phoebe suggested. "She would know where it is, and she might know how to destroy the amulet, too."

"I saw some candles in the front of the house," Piper said as her way of agreement.

With the candles set up, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige joined hands, and recited the spell to call a lost spirit.

At first, nothing happened. Disappointed, Paige almost broke the circle. Then, white lights filled the space inside the circle, and Piper gripped Paige's hand so she couldn't break the circle.

With a burst of light, a young woman appeared within the candles. She had long, curly brown hair, bright brown eyes, and a warm smile for them.

"Blessed be, Sisters," she said with a deferential nod.

Finally, the Charmed Ones let go of each other's hands and murmured a respectful Blessed Be in return.

Suddenly, the spirit of Sarah Braxton frowned, troubled. "Krista?"

"She's safe," Paige assured her, smiling. "She's with our Whitelighter."

Sarah let out a relieved breath, nodding. "Thank you."

"Sarah," Phoebe began, "We need your help."

"Of course," Sarah responded warmly. "Anything for the Charmed Ones."

"We need your Book of Shadows. And we need you to tell us anything you know about that amulet you've been protecting. We need to destroy it."

Sarah's troubled expression returned. "Well, I can tell you where my Book is, as well as whatever you would like to know about the amulet. But you can't destroy it."

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige exchanged confused frowns.

"Why not?" Paige demanded. "That necklace got you killed. It almost got Krista killed, but we saved her – for now. Until it's destroyed, she won't be safe."

"Because," Sarah said firmly, "If you destroy the necklace, it will kill Krista."

Stunned silence followed Sarah's proclamation.

"The power of the amulet is tied directly to our power source and our lives," Sarah explained. "It is part of the curse that was placed upon our family, when the necklace was first created."

"So... so what do we do?" Paige begged, tears filling her eyes. "Krista is scared, and she misses you." At her words, Sarah hung her head, looking tormented at the idea of her young daughter all alone.

But she quickly brushed it off. "The amulet can be deactivated. It doesn't come without consequences, but it won't harm Krista."

"What kind of consequences?" Phoebe inquired. Magical consequences usually packed a big bang. They needed to know what they were getting into.

Sarah stared at all of them in turn, considering her words very carefully. "Deactivating the amulet's power will strip Krista of her powers."


	8. The Only Way

A/N: Hey guys! So, I haven't really gotten a lot of reviews for the last few chapters. I do hope you guys are still reading and enjoying. I would appreciate some reviews, so I know for sure. But as long as it's being read and enjoyed, that's all that matters, too.

So, this is the last chapter I have written out. But I'm pretty sure I know where it's going to go from here. It might just take me a little longer to update the next chapter. Also, sorry for not updating at all yesterday but I was a little under the weather.

Anyway, chapter 8! Please read, review, and enjoy!

...

"What? No!" Paige snapped. "We can't do that to her"

Everyone stared at Paige in shock. How could she not want to save Krista? But in Paige's mind, taking away the little girl's powers was just as bad as killing her.

"Paige," Piper said firmly, "It's the only way to save her."

"If we don't deactivate the power in the amulet, demons will continue to go after Krista," Phoebe reminded her sister. "She'll never be safe."

"Her powers are a part of who she is," Paige argued. "She's a witch. Without powers, she'll be... She'll be mortal."

Sarah frowned. If ghosts could cry, she looked close to it. "Believe me, Paige, I do not want to strip my daughter of her powers, but it is the only way. When my ancestor created that necklace, she cursed us all. It has to end with Krista. I will not let my daughter be killed while protecting that damned amulet."

Paige opened her mouth to argue, then snapped it shut. There had to be another way. There had to be!

"Can't we bind the amulet's magic?" She asked suddenly, an idea forming in her mind. "That will only bind, not strip, Krista's powers, right?"

"Well..." Sarah hesitated. "Yes, I suppose that would work."

Paige looked excited now. "If we just bind its powers, then maybe, one day, Krista will learn how to destroy the necklace without taking her life along with it. Or, maybe, once she's older, she'll be better equipped to protect herself."

"Yes," Sarah nodded. "That would work."

Sarah gave them a few more details on what they needed to do, and how they needed to do it. She pointed Phoebe in the direction of the Braxton Book of Shadows, and then they said their goodbyes.

"Take care of Krista," Sarah begged. She paused, seeming to consider her next words carefully. "She has a legal guardian in the event of my untimely demise, an Aunt who can raise her. A Sister Witch who will still teach her the craft, even with bound powers. Her contact information is in the notebook by the phone."

Piper nodded. "We'll make sure she's safe until then."

With one last round of reassurance, Sara wished the Charmed Ones a Blessed Be, and disappeared in a swirl of lights.

...

Back at the Manor, Leo and Krista in the living room. Krista was asleep on the couch, tucked in with a blanket and pillow. Leo stood guard, pacing the room. He only stopped and let out the tense breath he had been holding when he saw Paige orbing back in, Piper and Phoebe to either side of her.

"Thank god," Leo sighed, seeing a Book of Shadows in Piper's arms.

"We spoke to S-." Phoebe cut off when Paige elbowed her. Phoebe glared, but when Paige pointed Krista out to her, she nodded in understanding.

The four of them wandered into the sunroom, where they explained to Leo in hushed voices everything that had happened.

"And the binding spell is in their Book?" Leo asked, seeming to agree with the logic of their plan.

"The spell in the Book is a power stripping spell. We need to tweak it a little. Change some words so it's a binding spell, but yes," Piper responded, setting the Book on the table and flipping through it to find the right spell.

"Paige?"

Paige looked up at the sound of her name being called. Krista was awake. Paige glanced at her sister's, and their look said it all: It's up to you what you want to tell her. With a resigned shrug, Paige went over to Krista, and sat beside her.

"What happened?" She sounded groggy, looked so tired, Paige felt horrible burdening her with the details.

"Well... We went to your house to find your Book of Shadows," Paige explained softly. "And we found more information out... Your mom told us."

Krista looked startled, then excited, then angry – all in the space of about two seconds. "That's mean. My mom is dead. Why would you say that?"

"Sweetie... remember when we asked you if you knew about your mom's powers? You said she could do things. You've seen a lot of magic now, and I know it's a lot to take in, but it does exist. Those things that kidnapped you were demons."

Krista looked confused. Paige didn't blame her. Her mother had only told her enough about magic to make her understand. Until she came into her powers... Well, Paige thought glumly, she won't ever come into her powers now. But at the time, Sarah probably assumed she'd be alive to explain things to Krista when she reached 15 and her powers fully developed. (For some reason, as Sarah had briefly explained, the Braxton's didn't get there powers until later in life. Sarah assumed it was because their main objective was to keep the amulet safe, and a toddler couldn't manage that. Having no powers kept them off the demon radar until they were old enough – well, Paige scowled, older, at least – to handle the responsibility.)

"I always wondered..." Krista trailed off. "I knew she was hiding something, but I just wasn't sure. I saw her and daddy using their powers, sometimes. It makes sense." She said it logically, like finding out magic was real was no big deal. And for Krista, it probably wasn't with everything she had seen.

"You're brave, you know that?" Paige smiled at her, giving her a tight hug.

"Paige," Phoebe called into the living room. "We're almost ready!"

"Almost ready for what?" Krista asked Paige curiously.

Paige signed. "We have a way to block the magic in that amulet, so no more demons will come after you. It will... The powers you were meant to receive in two years will also be bound. I'm so sorry."

Krista looked upset at this news. She hadn't had a name for what she or her family were up until now. Witches. But she had seen her parent's powers, and even though she had never had powers and didn't know what it felt like to lose them, she still felt a small ache in her chest at the thought of never receiving them.

"Okay," Krista said reluctantly. "If it keeps those... What did you call them? Demons? If it keeps them away, I'll do it."

Paige smiled, and gave Krista one last reassuring hug. She then took her hand, and walked her to the sunroom.

Phoebe gestured for Krista to take a seat at the table. There were three candles, lined up with two in back and one at the point, in front of the others, like a triangle. There was also a small pot, a wooden spoon, a sharp knife, and some herbs.

"Okay, this spell is a little complicated, but we'll walk you through it okay?" Piper placed a piece of paper on the table. "We had to modify the spell a little, so these are the words you'll speak."

Krista nodded.

Piper walked Krista through the proper way to light the candles and how to place them around the pot. Next, she explained how which herbs to toss into the pot, in what order, and how much of each was needed. Krista did as she was told, her heart pounding the whole time.

"Okay, this is the tricky part. You need to take the necklace off and place it in the pot. Then, you need to add a drop of blood into it. It will poof, just a little, and the smoke will turn red, like the gem in the necklace," Piper explained. "When that happens, you need to recite the spell. If it works, both the smoke and the necklace should turn pink, indicating the powers are bound and the spell has worked. You need to do this quickly and efficiently, though, because until the necklace is bound, it will be dangerous. I don't know if demons can sense it when you aren't wearing it, so we need to move fast."

Krista looked sick. "Blood? You mean, I need to cut myself with that?" She asked, pointing at the knife.

"Just the tip of your finger. It only sting for a minute," Paige reassured.

"You can't hesitate, Krista. I know you're scared, but unfortunately, we need to keep moving, okay?" Piper waited until she nodded. "Phoebe and Leo will stay with you, and Paige and I will keep a look out for demons. We'll keep them away from you, but you have to move fast," she emphasized.

Krista nodded, shaking. She quickly unclasped the necklace, placed it in the pot, and added some blood, with a hiss of pain at the feel of the knife slicing into her finger.

Around her, she could hear the sounds of battle. So, that answered that question. She could hear the sound of Piper blowing demons up, and Paige orbing fireballs back at their owners, but she stayed focused on what she was doing. She concentrated on the task at hand, and when the smoke turned red, she recited the spell.

"Here these words, hear my cry,

witches of the Braxton Line.

With this blood, I beseech thee:

Bind this amulet's power,

in this night and in this hour."

Stunned silence filled the room as the smoke from the pot flickered, then turned pink.

Quickly, Krista grabbed the necklace out of the pot. The gem had turned pink, as well, matching that of the smoke. At Phoebe's demand, she put it back on and clasped it.

The demons stopped coming.

Piper and Paige slowly walked back into the sunroom.

Krista gripped the necklace in her hand.

Then, she fainted.


	9. Saying Goodbye

A/N: Hey guys! I know, I know – You hate me, right? Thought I was gonna wait another 5 years to update? I haven't updated in, like, 2 weeks and I'm so sorry! Things were crazy on my end. But I'm back!

**CharmedOpal:** Yes, you just love my cliffhangers, right? Haha.

**wiccawhitewitchsmalltownguy:** Glad you're enjoying it! I promise, all your questions and such will be answered in this chapter.

Okay, guys. So... This will actually be the last chapter for this fanfic. It's kind of at that point where I feel like it's played itself out and is ending at a great place. Hopefully you'll agree!

So, I thank all of you who have hung by me since 2008, who waited patiently for 5 years for a new update. I appreciate your continued support. I now only have one active fanfiction, Surrender to Fate, so feel free to enjoy that, or read some of my older ones, as well.

And, without further adieu, please enjoy the 9th and final chapter of Death Becomes Her!

...

When Krista awoke, she felt disoriented. She forgot, for a moment, where she was. But then, it all came rushing back to her: The necklace, the spell, sacrificing her powers, the demons, and then – nothing.

She sat up, pushing the pillows behind her so she could lean back against them. She was in Paige's room. She must have passed out, after the spell. It seemed to be happening a lot lately, she thought with a frown.

The more awake she became, the more she could feel the loss of her powers. Though her powers had never been active, they had been a part of her. Now, without them, she felt an ache, deep within herself. She felt as if a part of her was gone, and she felt cold and small without them. She fingered the amulet, and noticed that it, too felt cold, and the stone had changed to a lighter red, almost pink, color. She let it drop back against her throat.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty."

Krista glanced up, startled. Paige stood in the doorway. She looked slightly worse-for-wear, tired and something else Krista couldn't quite put her finger on.

"What happened?" Krista questioned. "How long was I out of it?"

Paige walked over and settled on the end of the bed. She tucked a stray piece of hair behind Krista's ear.

"You were out for two days," Paige explained, cautiously. At Krista's startled expression, Paige rushed on. "The magic you performed was powerful. Dangerous, even, for an untrained witch with no active powers. I hated taking that risk, but it was the only spell that could bind the amulet's magic, and keep you safe from future demon attacks."

Krista tried to process this, and she was quiet for a long time. Paige remained silent, giving Krista the chance to take in everything that had happened.

"The amulet is cold," Krista finally spoke. "And... I feel... Oh, I know this is silly, but I can feel the absence of my powers."

Paige bit her lip. "The amulet is cold because its powers are dormant. That's a good thing – You won't have to worry, now, about demons coming after you."

"And... My powers?" Krista asked hesitantly.

"Your powers are bound," Paige explained. "Once you're older and can protect yourself from demons, you'll have the choice to unbind your powers. That will unbind the amulet as well, though, and you'll be at risk again."

Krista slumped back against the pillows. "I want my powers back. I want to get rid of this stupid amulet. I want my mom back."

"Oh sweetie," Paige consoled her, grabbing her hand. "I know you do. I'm so sorry you have to deal with all of this. It isn't fair."

Krista blinked tears away. "Will I ever be able to destroy this stupid thing?" she asked, playing with the amulet again.

"Maybe," Paige responded hesitantly. "One day, you might come up with a way to destroy it. Or, maybe you can appeal to the Elders, and they'll reverse the curse." Though, Paige thought, that was highly unlikely. But she didn't want to get Krista's hopes up.

"I just wish..." Krista paused, tears flowing freely now. "I just wish I had been able to say goodbye to my mom."

Paige started to speak, a generic apology on the tip of her tongue, when she had an idea. It probably wasn't allowed, but she didn't care.

"Can you walk?" She asked Krista, standing and moving away, giving the young girl room to move.

Krista gave her a puzzled look, but nodded and slowly got out of bed. She felt stiff, but she managed to slip on her flip-flops and follow Paige.

Paige led Krista to the attic, and instructed her to wait off to the side, while she gathered candles and herbs. She lit the candles, and recited the spell she needed, the one that would consol Krista more than words ever could.

In a wash of white lights, Sarah Braxton appeared in the circle of candles. She looked surprised at the sudden summoning, and appeared ready to ask Paige what she needed this time, when she caught sight of her daughter, alive and well.

"Krista!" Sarah gasped, stepping out of the circle of candles, at the same moment Krista cried, "Mom!" and ran at her mother. They embraced, looking as if they would never let go.

Paige smiled, and backed out of the room, giving them the privacy they needed.

...

"What did you do?"

Paige looked up, startled. Piper and Phoebe stood at the bottom of the attic steps, arms crossed, looking stern.

"I did what any of us would have done," Paige argued. "I'm giving that little girl the chance to say goodbye to her mother."

She walked briskly downstairs, forcing Piper and Phoebe to run after her.

"But Paige, you know that's against the rules," Piper argued.

"I don't care," Paige declared. "The Elders have always screwed us over. I am _not _letting them do that to that poor girl, too."

Piper and Phoebe exchanged concerned glances, but honestly, they both agreed.

"Well... I guess we need to get in touch with Daryl," Phoebe finally said, breaking the silence that had fallen. "We need to let him know we got in touch with Krista's aunt, and see how he wants to handle this."

With a nod of agreement, Piper picked up the house phone and dialed Daryl.

...

**2 DAYS LATER**

"Will I get to come visit you?"

Paige winced at the desperation in Krista's voice. She didn't want to make any promises she couldn't keep.

"That will be up to your Aunt Caroline," Paige admitted.

Krista scowled, looking as if she was trying not to cry.

Daryl had pulled some strings, as usual, and covered for the Charmed Ones. So, with that taken care of, Piper had arranged for Krista's aunt to pick her up at the Manor. Now, Piper and Phoebe sat in the living room, with Paige and Krista standing near the doorway.

"You're Aunt practices magic," Phoebe reminded Krista. "So I'm sure she'll teach you everything you need to know."

"I don't care about learning witchcraft if I can't visit you guys," Krista insisted, though by the way she was clinging to Paige now, it was obvious she meant if she couldn't visit Paige.

The knock at the door startled them all, and Piper jumped up to answer it.

"Hi, Piper?" she asked, cautious.

Piper smiled. "Yes. Krista is right here," she motioned, and Paige led Krista out from the living room and to her aunt.

"Oh, Krista!" Caroline sighed, relief evident on her face. She was Sarah's sister, and the news that her sister had been killed and her niece was missing had devastated her. Seeing Krista, alive and well, though a little worse for the wear, was such a relief.

Krista hugged her aunt. Her Aunt Caroline was constantly visiting, and Krista was excited to see her, there was no question. But she didn't want to leave Paige, or even Piper and Phoebe. She felt safe at the Manor, like everything would be taken care of. But with her Aunt Caroline, she felt uncertain, and doubts shoved their way into her thoughts.

"Can I visit the Halliwell's whenever I want?" Krista asked, though her tone sounded more like a demand.

Caroline looked startled. "I... Well, if they don't mind, I don't see why not." Caroline smiled at the sisters, giving them a slight nod of approval. After all, they had protected and cared for her niece. She owed them this much.

Paige held back the tears that threatened, giving Krista a tight hug, while Piper and Phoebe hung back.

"Anytime you need me," Paige promised Krista, before letting her go.

Krista reluctantly let go, nodding at Paige. "Promise?"

Without hesitation, Paige nodded. "Promise."

Paige watched Caroline and Krista go down the stairs and get into the car. She watched the car pull away, watched until she could no longer see the car. Then, and only then, did she finally close the door.

**The End.**


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